The Y Band Wiki
The Y Band '''is an American cover band from Tacoma, WA and primarily consists of employees of the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties and members and volunteers with strong YMCA affiliation. The Y Band performs covers of popular music, classic rock, R&B, soul, folk, and reggae. The Y Band consists of multiple lead vocalists, also serving as backing vocals, guitar(s), bass, drums, and piano/keyboard. The Y Band plays voluntarily for YMCA staff and member events in Pierce and Kitsap counties and has performed in the community at local farmer’s markets, fundraisers, and other community events. '''History Formation (2012) In summer 2012, Charlie Davis, who at the time was serving as the YMCA’s Chief Operations Officer, began planning for the Y’s full-time staff rally to be held on September 11, 2012. Knowing that Clayton was an avid guitarist and musician, Charlie tasked Clayton with arranging and performing music for the staff rally. Clayton began recruiting members and organizing the band. Through his various discussions about the upcoming event with other YMCA staff members, Clayton discovered other YMCA employees with musical talents. Several staff members were identified and recruited, however many of these staff were unable to participate due to work commitments, scheduling conflicts, and available free time. In his search for rehearsal spaces, Clayton had discovered that Urban Grace Church in downtown Tacoma rented rehearsal space to local bands. When Clayton called the church to inquire about reserving rehearsal space, he spoke with Siri, who managed space rentals at the church. While on the phone, Clayton described the band and the upcoming performance and Siri suggested that her husband, Mandla, who was also a musician, might be able to help the band for its September 11 performance. The band’s first practice was August 27 giving the band only two weeks to collectively select songs and rehearse before the performance. For the first practice, Clayton had recruited Kaeley, Gae, Brooklyn, T.G., Sue, Jessie, and Mandla. Due to other commitments, T.G. left the band immediately after the first practice. The band had three additional practices leading up to the event. During these practices, video recordings were taken and video interviews of the band were conducted and used to produce a 7-minute documentary (mockumentary) titled "The Making of Cachet Bold" that chronicled the formation of the band. The mockumentary was shown immediately prior to the band's performance. The Y Band’s first performance setlist consisted of Ben Harper’s “With My Own Two Hands,” John Mayer’s “Waiting for the World to Change,” and The Beatles’ “Let it Be.” In addition to performing these songs as a band, Brooklyn performed “Amazing Grace” as a solo performance in remembrance of 9/11. The Y Band’s performance (and the mockumentary) was well-received by the full-time staff and guests attending the staff rally. Following their first performance, the band began receiving requests to perform at other YMCA and community events. Immediately following its first performance, half of its founding members left the band: Gae, Brooklyn, and Sue. In fall 2012, Caitlyn was recruited and joined the band and her first performance was at the December 2012 Frontline Staff Rally. Caitlyn (and Dan's) house was centrally located to all of the members of the band and their living room became the band's default rehearsal space. The Golden Years (2013 and 2014) The Y Band performed regularly in 2013 and 2014. During that time, The Y Band began practicing regularly and expanded its setlist, growing its repertoire to more than 50 songs. Other members joined the band during this time, however many of these members played only one or two shows with the band, then left the band for various reasons. YMCA of the USA National Song Competition (2013) In 2013, the YMCA of the USA hosted a National Song Competition for YMCA staff, volunteers, and members. Interested parties could submit a song for consideration and the song selected would be performed at the 2013 YMCA General Assembly held in Philadelphia, PA. The Y Band prepared two songs to be considered for the competition. “Where I Belong,” primarily composed by Mandla, was selected by the band as the song to practice, record, and ultimately submit to the contest for consideration. Unfortunately, the song was one of 25 submissions received and not selected as a finalist. First Paying Gig (2013) The Y Band volunteered to play at the July 30 Lakewood Farmer’s Market. In the middle of their set, an unknown person attending the farmer’s market gave a $5 bill to Kaeley between songs. Accepting the $5 marked an important milestone for a volunteer cover band—it signified the band’s first compensation for a performance. Immediately following the show, four of the five band members voted to give the $5 to Mandla to compensate him for performing in the band. Despite the band's suggestion to not spend it all in one place, Mandla promptly used the $5 to purchase a single cupcake from one of the farmer's market vendors. According to Mandla, the cupcake was very good. All-Staff Rally (2013) The Y Band performed to an audience of more than 1,200 full and part-time employees and volunteers attending the All-Staff Rally held at the Champions Center in Tacoma. The event was also simulcast and could be watched online (no viewer analytics were available). It was (and remains) the largest audience the band had performed in front of. Morgan Senior Prom (2014) The Y Band performed at the Morgan Family Y Senior Prom held at the Landmark Convention Center Penthouse Ballroom. The setlist consisted of classic hits from the 1950’s and 1960’s. As part of its performance, the band dressed in traditional high school prom clothing. Caitlyn and Kaeley intentionally wore tacky, second-hand prom dresses and the male members of the band wore suits from their own closets that according to Caitlyn, Kaeley, and most of the attendees, were thought to be intentionally tacky. The band had prepared a 90-minute setlist of songs, as requested by the event organizers, however attendees of the prom wanted to continue dancing and requested that the band keep playing. This request to continue playing was another important milestone for the band--it was the band's first encore performance. For its encore, the band performed its 90-minute setlist a second time. Celebration of Philanthropy (2014) The Y Band performed at the 2014 Celebration of Philanthropy held at a private airplane hangar at the Tacoma Narrows Airport. As part of its performance, the band dressed as an airplane flight crew. The female members of the band wore airplane stewardess outfits and the male members of the band wore pilot outfits. The band caused some concern for patrons at The Hub restaurant located at the airport, as the band, in their stewardess and pilot attire, were seen drinking multiple rounds of alcoholic beverages before they were last seen heading in the direction of the airplane hangars. Kaeley Loses a Tooth (2014) During the September 7 performance at the Lakewood Y Staff Rally, the band was rocking so hard that the veneer on Kaeley’s front tooth fell out. It turns out that Kaeley had the veneer since she was a child due to an injury. Kaeley immediately left the show, mid-song, to have the veneer replaced. Caitlyn was not available for this show so Clayton, Mandla, and Jessie finished the show as a trio. Fall Hiatus (2014) Through 2014, The Y Band was practicing and performing regularly. The band hit another critical milestone for an uncompensated cover band—it was receiving more requests to perform than what it could fulfill and was in a position to decline offers to perform. At the same time, members of the band were managing full-time careers (Mandla was pursuing a master’s degree and also completing an internship), handling family responsibilities, maintaining friendships (outside the band), among other life happenings. The band suspended performing through the remainder of 2014. Getting the Band Back Together (2015) The Y Band got back together in early 2015 to prepare for the Annual Campaign Kickoff. The band performed only five times in 2015. The shows were primarily YMCA events and were well-received by audiences. Additional requests to perform were declined due to scheduling and time constraints. Hiatus (2016-18) 2016 In January 2016, Kaeley, an original founding member, left the Y and the band. The Y Band was asked to perform at staff and community events, but work, school, and family priorities prevented the full band from practicing and performing. During this time, Clayton began performing in other side bands including a band consisting of members from the Boys and Girls Club (Elvin), Communities in Schools (Dave), and Pierce College (Jesus). Clayton also performed with Y staff from the Lakewood YMCA. Acoustic Performances (2016-17) In May 2016, Clayton and Jessie performed an acoustic instrumental set at a full-time staff event. Caitlyn joined for one song, Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.” In November 2017, Clayton, Jessie, and Caitlyn, performed an acoustic rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” at the YMCA’s Serve to Lead event. In December 2017, Caitlyn left the Y but indicated that she was still interested in performing with the band. Hiatus (2018) There were no performances in 2018. Getting the Band Back Together (2019) In September 2019, The Y Band got back together and resumed practicing in preparation for an October 29th Halloween event at the Morgan Y. Returning band members include Clayton, Mandla, Jessie, and Caitlyn and two new members: Kate Neale (vocals) and Elvin Bucu (guitar, drums). Kate is a current Y employee and Elvin previously played in one of Clayton’s side projects and is close to several YMCA staff. No other performances are planned at this time. Current Members (and YMCA affiliations) Former Members Other Members Influences The Y Band has a variety of influences and an appreciation for all types of music. The talent and vocal range of the band members enables the band to cover most types of music. The Y Band has covered the likes of Johnny Cash to Lorde and Frank Sinatra to Pharrell. During the Frontline Rally’s, typically held in December of each year, the band performed renditions of well-known Christmas carols. At the Senior Prom, the band performed covers of popular music of the 1950’s and 1960’s. While some of their covers are exact imitations of the originals, the band has put its own spin on songs. Most notable are the band’s covers of Adele’s “Rumor,” Lorde’s “Royals,” and Jeff Buckley's “Hallelujah,” to name a few. The Y Band is regularly recognized for its vocal performances, most notably its vocal harmonies. Since its formation, The Y Band has featured multiple lead and backing vocalists. Songs that are regularly performed by the band include: Maroon 5 – Sunday ''Morning ''Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues The Beatles – Come Together Adele – Rumour Bob Marley – Jammin’ Amy Winehouse – Valerie Dobie Gray – Drift Away Proposed Band Names Over the course of its existence, alternative names for the band have been proposed or suggested. Cachet Bold : in reference to the two marketing staff in the band and the YMCA of the USA’s Brand Marketing Guidelines requiring 'Cachet Bold' as the preferred typeface for all YMCA printed materials. The M3's : suggested months after Caitlyn had joined the band and refers to Mandla’s three: Clayton, Kaeley, and Jessie. The name was rejected because it failed to include the fifth member of the band, Caitlyn. Following this band name suggestion, Jessie was no longer invited to Caitlyn’s house. The Fevers : in reference to the SNL skit “More Cowbell.” The band was often so satisfied with its practices and performances that the only thing that could make the songs better was more cowbell. The Bob Ecklund Band : in reference to the YMCA’s former President and CEO. It was also suggested that the band perform in suits and that every song include a rap verse. The band name was rejected for obvious reasons. The Gambits : in reference to Caitlyn’s rescue dog who chewed through all of her home furnishings. RIP Gambit. The Why : a play on The Y Band and the band, The Who. Off the Rails : in reference to the direction of the bands internal e-mail discussions. Alesis on Fire : in reference to an Alesis 4-channel mixer that caught on fire in Caitlyn’s dining room while recording “Where I Belong” for the YMCA National Song Competition. Spaghetti Whorehouse : in reference to an e-mail sent by Clayton that autocorrected “warehouse” to “whorehouse” (I don’t want that kind of spaghetti). ONIAS : in reference to a band members legal first name (in all caps because it looks cooler). Voice of Reason : in reference to Jessie being the voice of reason for the band and that the vocals of the band receiving the most compliments. Free Hugs : in reference to a (joke) suggestion for a band name by Clayton that was seemingly endorsed by Mandla and that Mandla wants to catch on. Dumpster Fire: in reference to the audio mix/sound quality of the band's live performances. Note: The Y Band reserves the rights to use these band names in the future or for any side projects. Performances September 12, 2012: Full-time Staff Rally, University of Washington-Tacoma, Phillip Hall, Tacoma December 6, 2012: January Promo Kick-off, Chapel Hill Church, Gig Harbor March 6, 2013: Annual Campaign Kick-Off, Landmark Theater, Main Ballroom, Tacoma May 7, 2013: Celebration of Philanthropy, LeMay Car Museum, Tacoma July 30, 2013: Lakewood Farmers Market, Lakewood City Hall, Lakewood Sept. 13, 2013: Full-Time Staff Rally, Chapel Hill Church, Gig Harbor Oct. 20, 2013: All Staff Rally, Champions Center, Tacoma December 5, 2013: Frontline Staff Rally, Chapel Hill Church, Gig Harbor December 7, 2013: Jingle Bell Run, Lakewood City Hall, Lakewood February 15, 2014: Morgan Family Y Senior Prom, Landmark Theater Penthouse, Tacoma February 25, 2014: Annual Campaign Kick-Off, Admiral Theater, Bremerton February 27, 2014: Annual Campaign Kick-Off, McGavick Center, Pierce College, Lakewood May 7, 2014: Celebration of Philanthropy, Tacoma Narrows Airport, Private Hangar, Gig Harbor June 17, 2014: Lakewood Farmer’s Market, Lakewood City Hall, Lakewood July 15, 2014: Lakewood Farmer’s Market, Lakewood City Hall, Lakewood July 26, 2014: Black Tie, Blue Jeans, Fort Steilacoom Park, Lakewood August 7, 2014: Camp Corral Hero Day, YMCA Camp Seymour, Gig Harbor September 7, 2014: Lakewood Staff Rally, Lakewood Family YMCA, Lakewood February 26, 2015: Annual Campaign Kick-Off, University of Washington-Tacoma Student Center, Tacoma April 11, 2015: Healthy Kid’s Day, Gordon Family YMCA, Sumner May 7, 2015: Celebration of Philanthropy, University of Washington-Tacoma Student Center, Tacoma July 18, 2015: Private Fundraising Party, Maple Valley, WA September 12, 2015: Gordon Family YMCA Grand Opening, Gordon Family YMCA, Sumner May 5, 2016: Full-time Staff Lunch (Clayton, Jessie, and Caitlyn acoustic performance), University of Washington-Tacoma Student Center, Tacoma November 2, 2017: Serve to Lead (Clayton, Jessie, Caitlyn acoustic performance), New Community Church, Tacoma October 29, 2019: Morgan Family YMCA Fall Harvest Festival, Tacoma Recordings The only original recording by the band is "Where I Belong." There are several live recordings uploaded by the band to The Y Band Soundcloud page. There are several video recordings of The Y Band on YouTube: * Gnarls Barkley - Crazy * Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues * Ray Charles - You Don't Know Me * Hero Day Performance (19 songs) at YMCA Camp Seymour * Maroon 5 - Sunday Morning Equipment Clayton’s guitar setup is constantly changing. Clayton primarily plays custom made Telecasters and Stratocasters through a Marshall or Mesa Boogie combo amp. He has also performed with Gretsch, National, Taylor, and Fender guitars. Jessie’s setup has remained the same since joining the band and includes a 1978 Fender Jazz Bass with EMG active pick-ups and an Ampeg 220 watt combo bass amp. Mandla's drum setup has changed over the years. Through most of the band's existence, the band borrowed a purple Pearl kit from Urban Grace Church. In 2018, Clayton purchased a Ludwig drum kit for the band. Photos The Y Band Origin: Tacoma, WA Genres: Pop | Classic Rock | Soul | R&B | Folk Years Active: 2012-present Labels: Not currently signed Associated Acts: None Website: www.facebook.com/theyband Current Members: * Clayton * Mandla * Jessie * Caitlyn * Elvin * Kate Category:Browse